BEECH GROVE, Ind. — An incident at a Beech Grove apartment complex that involved a toddler holding a handgun resulted in a man’s arrest for child neglect being broadcast on live television.
Cameras following officers with the Beech Grove Police Department captured the arrest incident, which occurred Saturday. The live footage was filmed by and broadcast on a TV show called “On Patrol: Live”, BGPD confirmed Sunday.
Beech Grove police officials are not releasing many details on the incident, although BGPD Deputy Chief Robert Mercuri said more information will be released on Monday.
A police report from Beech Grove PD shows an incident that occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday, coinciding with the TV show broadcast, at an apartment on Diplomat Court.
Shane Osborne, 45, faces charges of dangerous control of a firearm and two counts of neglect of a dependent in connection with the Jan. 14 incident.
During the arrest, BGPD seized Ring camera footage from a neighbor’s door as well as a semiautomatic Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol. The report says that while no rounds were in the gun’s chamber, there were 15 rounds loaded in the magazine.
On Patrol: Live says the security footage shows the child alone in the hallway. Neighbors say the child was holding a gun and pointing it at them.
While the father denied the child had the weapon, when police were reviewing the footage, On Patrol: Live producers say they saw the child playing with the gun like a toy, waving it and pointing it and pulling the trigger. At one point, the child even pointed the gun at himself and pulled the trigger.
The report, however, does not include a timeline of what exactly led to officers being called to the apartment or why Osborne was arrested.
Beech Grove’s mayor released a statement about the incident:
I received notification from our Police Chief soon after this incident took place. As with all of you, I’m mortified at what took place and I’m so thankful that no one was hurt, especially the young child.
I appreciate the quick action taken by the Beech Grove Police Department to secure the small child and the gun in question.
I ask that the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office work tirelessly to secure charges and a conviction against the responsible parties, with maximum penalties.
Society shouldn’t accept anything less.
Dennis B. Buckley
